The present invention relates to a steam feeding apparatus for a multicylinder steam engine including a steam distributor and steam feed conduits each connected with a respective cylinder.
In such a multicylinder steam engine, a steam generator and the engine body must be connected with each other such that some relative movements are allowed to absorb vibration. Thus, steam feed conduits connecting the steam generator and the engine body have to be made of thin material to absorb the vibration. Consequently, a large diameter conduit cannot be used, and small diameter feed conduits are used to connect the steam generator and cylinders of the engine, respectively.
According to this limitation, conventionally, a steam distributor acting as a steam reservoir is mounted adjacent the steam generator, and the feed conduits are connected between the distributor and upstream portions of inlet valves of the cylinders, respectively. Such a construction accompanies a serious problem relating to the throttle resistance in the slender feed conduits. Especially, at high rotational speed range, output increase is disturbed by the pressure pulsation at the entrance of the inlet valves and by the throttle resistance in the feed conduits.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, it has been proposed to select the length of the feed conduits between the steam distributor and the cylinders in such a manner that the conduits act as resonance pipes capable of improving the steam charging efficiency. However, such resonance pipes are effective for a narrow range of engine revolution only, and in many cases, the resonance pipes cannot be accommodated in a limited space of the engine room of vehicles.